Year 7 talk - An Overview for Parents
How will healthy eating benefit you?
Feel good, energy, mood, skin & hair, teeth, how your brain worksintelligence , concentration, memory, perform better in sport, muscles, bones, strengthen your immune system, help you to keep well in the long term.
Think of your body like a car!
Want it to be running smoothly without breaking down, engine to work well, well oiled, enough water, the right fuel, shiny , no rust,
Our body needs the right kind of fuel and energy to keep us going, plenty of water , the right oils, the right vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to keep everything running well – all effects our tissue muscles, organs, bones , all of our cells and our brain.
Sugar
How can too much sugar affect us?
Energy levels (blood sugar rush, and then crash), effect mood, concentration, sleep (if have too near bedtime) stress levels, tooth decay, lead too diabetes, problems with our blood vessels and obesity and very addictive!
Should be having at the most 6 teaspoons a day! (Use the Sugar Smart App to find hidden sugars in foods)
Everything ending in ‘ose’ is a sugar: e.g. glucose, fructose, maltose, and dextrose – look for this on food packet ingredients.
Carbohydrates
The difference between ‘white’ carbohydrates and wholegrains?
White carbohydrates have had the fibre removed – fibre (found fruit veg and wholegrains) slows down the release of the sugar from the carbohydrate in to our blood stream. As with sugar, white carbohydrates will offer a short burst of energy followed by a sugar crash! Additionally minerals and vitamins are removed as part of the refining of these grains.
Go for whole grains like wholemeal bread, wholegrain pasta, brown rice, porridge oats, quinoa, barley, buckwheat etc
Protein
Why is protein so important for us?
Muscles –very important for sport, enzymes, antibodies, body tissue, neurotransmitters (the chemical messages in our brains) etc so important for our body to function properly
Important to have protein with every meal – especiallystarting the day with protein will stops sugar craving and keeps as feeling fuller for longer along with fibre.
Essential oils/ fats
Brain – 30% of the dry weight of our brain is made of this. Within the brain our cells called neurons- all interconnect and messages are sent from one to another. The point from where one message is sent to another is made of these fats. Each brain cells and nerve in your body is also coated in these fats to help them work properly.
Found in oily fish 2 times a week ideally; salmon mackerel sardines anchovies, herring week,
Seeds and nuts
These fats can affect if we feel down, concentration and memory and even intelligence
Other good oils such as olive oil and avocado oil and avocados also help keep our skin and hair healthy.
Fats -The ones to avoid
Trans fats – processed foods like cakes and biscuits with very long use by dates and margarine –Fats in Deep fried foods – e.g. KFC, chips etc
All stop us from being able to use the good fats we get from our diet and can cause heart disease and other health problems.
Eating a rainbow of vegetables and fruit
Important to try to eat at least one veg or fruit from each colour group a day.
Each colour group has its own special antioxidants (as well as vitamins and minerals)
All keep you looking good, keep your immune system strong, help to prevent lots of diseases including cancer
Contains lots of fibre
The vitamins and minerals help to keep your body working well
Soon to be Teenagers!
As teenagers your own skeleton is going through a massive change and will therefore need extra nutrients to support your bone growth: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin D.
Muscles development: protein, zinc and iron
Energy synthesis: B vitamins
Girls need more iron than boys to replace menstrual losses.